The announced “Pause in 2025” in the southwest festival, almost 30 years was held in Zambujeira do Mar, can have a negative impact of 4,5 Millions of euros in the municipality of Odemira.
The conclusion was based on a study on the “the economic and sociocultural impact of the MEO Southwest festival in the municipality of Odemira”, elaborated in 2017 by three teachers from the Polytechnic Institute of Beja (IPBeja) and a doctoral student in management and member of the Order of Economists.
The authors of the study concluded that eight years ago, the direct economic impact generated by the event was 3.805.734 euros, that did not consider the expenses made by the organization. Addressing only the expenses made outside the enclosure, The impact was on the order of 2.031.744 euros.
When Lidador News (LN), Eugénio Rosa began by recalling that at that time participated in the event about 200.000 people, of which 83,2% were not residents in the region and many were foreigners, and that according to inflation, The benefits fired.
“This flow of visitors generated an estimated direct economic impact, to today's prices, in 4,5 million, while the indirect impact reaches the 2,4 million euros ", having the economist justified that “these values reflect the wide influence of the festival in various sectors of the local economy”, concluded.
It is recalled that over three decades the Southwest festival has attracted to the municipality of Odemira, in particular Zambujeira do Mar and the locations around it, Thousands of Portuguese and Foreign Visitors/Festivals.
The Herdade of the White House, space where the concerts, The campsite, the watering channels of the mira perimeter and beautiful beaches of the Alentejo coast, were striking spaces in the lives of many young people, that were generating an unparalleled impact on the local economy.
Eugénio Rosa recalls that the main beneficiaries of the event were “Restoration and Trade, with a significant increase in revenues, Hospitality and accommodation, with residents providing temporary housing ”, and temporary employment also “gave opportunities” of young people and local residents. For the economist, the non -hold of the festival “has severe consequences for the region's economy and tourism, with the above businesses, that benefited from the influx of the festivals, face an abrupt drop in revenues ”, justified.
For several months that businessman Luís Montez, owner of the company Music at Coração Dona and organizer of the southwest festival, was giving signs of serious financial difficulties. Last year the event “took the great ax” when losing the sponsorship of MEO, there 18 years gave Naming and was the great financial support of the same.
Last Friday, through a note on the event page published on the Instagram social network, It was explained that “in 2025, We take a break to prepare a new chapter. The future is ahead of us and we promise it will be worth. Until now ”, if you have massive.
Last Friday to the Observer, Without sponsor Luís Montez passed “the guilt” to the municipalities justifying that “with municipal elections this year there are concerts from north to south of the country. It is impossible to compete with free shows ”, finished.
LN contacted the mayor of Odemira, on the non -holding of the festival and the entrepreneur's justifications, Having Helder Guerreiro justified that he did not make statements on the subject concerning the event promoter.
Alternatives and possible solutions
For Eugénio Rosa, Despite the difficulties, For Eugénio Rosa, there are alternatives to mitigate negative impacts and the economist points out five measures that can be considered: Event Diversification (Create a new smaller festival, with partners), Public-Private Partnerships (municipal, Tourism and local companies in the enabling of an alternative event), Promotion of Cultural Tourism (gastronomic festivals, sports and cultural), Local trade support (incentives to help traders reinvent their businesses) and capture of new sponsorships (negotiate with other brands interested in investing in an event with notoriety).
Teixeira Correia
(journalist)
